The present invention relates generally to electronic mail and, more particularly, to a system and method to control sending of unsolicited electronic mail over a network.
There is no question that the explosive growth of the Internet in recent years has changed classic business and economic models. One area in which this change has been noteworthy is in the use of mass marketing by electronic mail (xe2x80x9ce-mailxe2x80x9d). This form of marketing has become an attractive advertising medium for businesses and other organizations because it allows them to reach large numbers of consumers at minimal cost.
Nevertheless, the use of e-mail in this manner is often problematic for the recipients of these messages. On the Internet, SPAM is the term used to describe useless or unsolicited e-mail messages. Typically, the SPAM is of narrow interest. The aspiration of the xe2x80x9cspammerxe2x80x9d is to make a profit, even if only a small number of recipients respond. The sending and receiving of SPAM is especially onerous for online service providers because it reduces user satisfaction in their services. SPAM also wastes network resources and people""s time.
Various methods exist to filter or otherwise counter unsolicited e-mail messages. For example, filtering techniques exist to block e-mail messages received from addresses that are sources of unsolicited e-mail. One problem associated with filtering techniques, however, is that the source of the unsolicited e-mail can easily change their address to bypass the system. Another problem associated with filtering techniques is that they often filter legitimate bulk e-mail messages that could be of interest to the user. Moreover, filtering techniques are often ineffective against robotic delivery programs that send out thousands of junk e-mail messages and create nonexistent source addresses to prevent detection. The cost of monitoring robotic delivery programs is usually high.
Although functionality exists in the prior art to allow recipients to complain about unsolicited e-mail, the process can be burdensome and time-consuming for the user. In addition, to date there has been little functionality to monitor complaints against particular sources and to effectively curtail the sending of unsolicited e-mails from these sources based on this monitoring function.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system and method to control sending of unsolicited communications over a network. The system may define a SPAM inhibiting tool for users engaged in transactions over a network such as the Internet. Users of an on-line service, for example an on-line commerce service, who are interested in a non-transactional communication (e.g., a communication wherein the sending user is not engaged in a bidding transaction with a recipient user) with another user are provided with a proprietary contact form that allows them to contact other users without the sender viewing the e-mail address of the would-be recipient. This form appears only in cases where a user is contacting another and where the intended recipient is not involved in an active transaction (e.g., already bid on an item listed by the intended recipient) or a closed-successful transaction with the sender. In cases where an active transaction is involved, a seller may view all bidder e-mail addresses and bidders may view the seller""s e-mail address.
In another aspect of the present invention, a network link is provided that allows recipients of forwarded messages to tag an incident as SPAM and to provide senders with feedback. For instance, users who click on the link receive a confirmation prompt advising them of the SPAM policy, what reporting of the incident means to the recipient and the sender, and the ability to classify the reason for the complaint. In a further aspect of the present invention, the system monitors the number of SPAM complaints received by a user and triggers events (e.g., inability to use the on-line services, warning flags, suspension flags, etc.) based on thresholds and displays for a user complaint level.